


Humans do the strangest things

by thedrunkenwerewolf



Series: Merverse [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Aizen and Byakuya friendship, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Prompt Fill, and Byakuya throwing shade at tea, because its such a foreign concept to him, bonding over their humans and their weirdness, i can't really say much else, just a scene of Byakuya and Sousuke, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29493135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedrunkenwerewolf/pseuds/thedrunkenwerewolf
Summary: Sousuke and Byakuya bond over their human partners, and Sousuke educates Byakuya on tea. Part of the Merverse series. Standalone piece though better with series context.
Relationships: Abarai Renji/Kuchiki Byakuya, Aizen Sousuke/Ichimaru Gin
Series: Merverse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1419934
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	Humans do the strangest things

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt requested by DQLouise, that I filled because they left me such lovely comments on this series. [it's called positive reinforcement and it works wonders lol]. I hope you enjoy, dear. It was a lot of fun to write. As always feedback is nice and keeps us writers writing&posting.

**Humans do the strangest Things**

It was a pleasant summer day, and Sousuke was spending his time lazing on the shore, watching his human talk rather animatedly with his fiery red haired friend. From a safe distance, of course. He didn't want to eavesdrop. And Gin deserved time alone with his friend. Posseidon knew the man didn't have very many. And they seemed to be having fun, which was nice. He liked it when his silver-haired human was having fun. The smile seemed to light up his entire face, and he seemed to glow from within like the moon. It really was a lovely sight to see.

But then again, he was a little bit biased.

He stretched out his legs, laid out on top of his seal skin to keep it safe and close by - as any good selkie who wanted to return to the sea should – and luxuriated in the warmth of the sun. it was something he seldom saw this close; the sea filtered it so it was a washed out brightness. So most of their home was lit with arkemical globes, cast with magic, and lanterns filled with the glow of several bright bioluminescent fish. So whenever he came to the surface, he made the most of the warmth and brightness of the sun. though he did have to be careful his skin didn't burn.

He'd been there for a little while before a voice spoke and broke the peace.

“It would seem that your human and my human are quite close friends.”

Sousuke lifted his gaze away from the two humans and towards the speaker. A forced smile – the one he saved for the nobility at court – crossed his face.

“Byakuya Kuchiki,” he greeted politely. Resisting the huge urge to tell the Mer to piss off and leave him alone. “A surprise to see you here.” _What do you want?_

The noble nodded. “Indeed. But hopefully a pleasant one, your majesty.”

Sousuke wasn't sure if he should answer that one truthfully, but thankfully he was spared that decision.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Kuchiki asked. Deferring to his prince as well he should. As all good merfolk should. “I'm hiding from some suitors my clan elders are trying to thrust upon me, and I could use some company. If it please you.”

Sousuke smiled. Genuinely this time. “Ah, I know how that is. Pull up a chair-” he caught himself, too easily slipping back into more human language. “Uh, beach.”

“Thankyou,” Byakuya answered, somehow managing to gracefully crawl his way onto the sand. Sousuke was admittedly a little jealous. When he emerged onto dry land, he was about as graceful as a fat sealion. Which is to say, not at all.

“I hear they're planning a little get together of sorts,” Byakuya mentioned.

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” the noble nodded. “I think they mentioned some sort of drink.”

Now Sousuke was interested. Well, he was interested before, but now he was even more intrigued. “Beer?”

Byakuya shook his head. “Hm, no.”

“Ale? Or rum? Me and Gin are fond of dark rum.”

But Byakuya only shook his head again. “No... it was something warm...”

Sousuke thought for a moment, thinking of all the human drinks he knew. “Could it be tea?” he offered. “Humans like hot cups of tea. Or mugs of it, if you're Gin.”

He watched the noble's face light up at that “Yes, it might have been tea,” he agreed, with such enthusiasm Sousuke swore this wasn't the real Byakuya Kuchiki. The real Byakuya Kuchiki – at least the one he'd seen at court – was so stoic. Sousuke could've sworn the mer had a very big stick rammed up his cloaca. But it turned out he was wrong.

_Just goes to show, you never really see anything but a facade at court,_ he mused.

“So what is this 'tea', anyway?” Byakuya questioned. “Can you enlighten me, your majesty?”

Sousuke snorted. “Just Sousuke is fine. Let's save those stiff formalities for court. Up here we're just friends.”

“Very well, Sousuke,” Byakuya conceded. “So, can you enlighten me on what tea is?”

_Now_ Sousuke gave another real smile. “Of course, Byakuya,” he said. Returning the favour of addressing him by his first name. “Tea is a hot drink humans use to relax or unwind at the end of a hard day of work. A customary drink, if you will. And it's best enjoyed with friends. Or so Gin has said. Though that may have been an excuse to drink it with me.”

“I see,” Byakuya noted, looking thoughtful. “What is it made of?”

“Hm. From what I can remember of Gin making it... a lot of dried out leaved which are then boiled and strained. Sometimes they add honey, milk or sugar to improve the taste.”

Byakuya blinked, utterly bewildered. “You mean they drink what is essentially hot leaf juice?”

Sousuke just smiled. “They do. Although it really does taste a lot better than it sounds. There are so many different types of it, too. I'm quite fond of the Earl Grey variety.”

“You mean you've tasted this tea?” Byakuya asked him, still trying to get his head around the whole concept.

“I have, yes,” Sousuke told him. “I've spent some time living with Gin so I know a few things. They're quite fascinating.”

Byakuya sighed and shook his head slowly. “Only _you_ would find hot leaf juice fascinating,”

Sousuke laughed. “I was talking about our humans,” he said.

“Oh,” Byakuya reddened. “Yes. Yes they are, aren't they? Well, I only know Renji is, anyway. He'd the only human I really know. Though we are limited in how much time we can spend together. I cannot just shed my scaled and walk on land like you royals.”

Sousuke smiled softly. “You'll make it work.” he reassured the noble.

“I hope so,” Byakuya said softly. “But, hot leaf juice? Really?”

Sousuke chuckled. “You only say that because you haven't tried it.”

Byakuya shook his head again. “I still think it's odd.” he said. Then sighed. “Humans do the strangest things...”

Sousuke grinned at him. “Humans _are_ the strangest things,” he countered.

Byakuya cracked a smile at that. “Ah, now that we can both agree on,” he said. Tail swishing in the waves on the beach. “Perhaps you could tell me more about the humans strange practices?”

Sousuke grinned at that. “Of course,” he said. Though really he was just glad to have someone else to talk to who was one of his own kind. A friend from home. Of course, he had to be back for some boring royal engagement or other. But he was sure Byakuya would vouch for him and validate his excuse that he and the noble had been discussing some important political issues.

He took a moment to slip back into his sealskin, so a tail took the place of his human legs, and slid – ungracefully – down to the beach beside Byakuya.

“What do you want to know?” he asked.

Byakuya eyed him eagerly. “Whatever you've got.”

“Alright,” Sousuke smirked. “Better get comfortable. We'll be here a while.”


End file.
